Enslaved Heart
by Obsian Caetus
Summary: She had given him up to protect others but never thought that decision would come back to haunt her as it did.


_**A/N:**_ This story started out as a joke for Aeowyn99 and it went in a completely different direction.

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Aeowynn felt like someone was watching her, the feeling of eyes bearing down on her menacingly. She was drawn from the comfort of her dreams, vision groggy and blurred. It was still the middle of the night, room cast in dark shadows and moonlight coming through the open window… wait, open window? Aeowynn immediately bolts upright, nearly tumbling out of her bed. The curtains were drawn back the window wide open, letting a fresh breeze in. Had she forgotten to close it or maybe her mother came lurking in and opened it for her? The wood floor was cold underneath her bare feet as she walked over to close and lock the window before drawing the curtains close and plunging the room back into darkness.

"Aeowynn…" A dark, familiar voice growled.

Before she could react to defend herself, she felt sharp, cold steel against the back of her neck, gripping tightly as she was shoved forward into her bed. Aeowynn's protest was muffled as her face was pushed into the mattress, heavy weight on her back.

"Months I've waited, thinking of what I would do to you when I find you again, you traitor." He snarled the grip on the back of her neck tightening.

"F-fenris?!" she gasped in surprise, managing to twist her head so her mouth wasn't full of the soft downy comforter underneath her.

His only answer was his heavy, strained breaths for air. The sharp, cold tips of his gantlets dug into her skin, the danger of blood being drawn making her heart race. She had handed Fenris over to Danarius but not by choice. They had been drawn into a trap, innocent people's lives were at risk in such a public place. That magister knew exactly what he was doing. The look of defeat and betrayal on the elf's face had been heartbreaking, but he had not put up a fight. She had forsaken him and now he was back, broken and enraged by her treason.

"I should have never trusted you!" He growled, shifting his weight forward to put more pressure on her neck.

"I didn't have a choice!" Aeowynn protested in her defense.

"Yes, you did! You chose to betray me to Danarius. You WANTED to sacrifice me." Fenris's voice hissed in her ear, his weight leaning heavily on her neck.

Fear raced through her at the thought of how quickly he could kill her without leaving a trace. She had seen how easily he could move through his enemies, reach into them as if they were made of water and rip out their hearts. She thought to scream, alert someone in the house that she was in danger, but she couldn't muster more than a pathetic whimper from her throat. She felt his other hand tracing down her side, the fabric of her sleeping shift snag on his steel-clad fingertips. Tears stung her eyes as panic took control.

"I'm so sorry Fenris. Please… don't kill me." She begged, body shaking underneath him.

"Killing you would be easy… so easy. Everyone here thinks you are a hero! Invincible but underneath all that armor you wear is a coward! How easy it would be for me to reach inside…" He spoke with a dangerous lit to his voice, his free hand suddenly gone.

Aeowynn felt the crackling energy of lyrium emitting from his brands, felt the warmth of it touch her back before she could feel him slid his hand through her body. Her heart fluttered and a cold chill raced through her as she could feel those clawed fingers find her heart, stable enough to touch the fluttering muscle that was her core. Hot, salty tears were streaking down her cheeks, trying to hold herself as still as possible despite the fearful quakes racking her body. She didn't want to die... not like this.

"You fear me." Fenris snarled, his hand clenching slightly tighter around her heart.

"Yes! Maker, please! I should have let Danarius kill all those people! I didn't want to but what choice did I have?!" She cried, gasping in pain as her heart's rhythm was disrupted.

"You could have done something, Champion!"

"I tried, Maker I tried but I couldn't! I couldn't save you… I had to betray you!" Aeowynn nearly screamed.

Suddenly, the tight pain in her chest was gone and the pressure on her neck had vanished. She laid on her bed, raggedly breathing and too afraid to move. After a few minutes dragged on in absolute silence, Aeowynn cautiously raised her head and looked around her room. Though she couldn't see much in the dark, she didn't feel like anyone was here. She was alone. The window was closed and the air completely silent. Her heart was beating painfully hard in her chest. Fenris had been here, she was sure of it but now, he was gone. Maker, how could she go back to sleep after that?

She wasn't sure what to do if she should tell anyone. Would any of her friends believe her? Aeowynn decided to keep it to herself. Maybe she just had an awful dream… riddled with her guilt still though it had been six months since she gave Fenris over to Danarius. It had felt so real, Aeowynn knew she had felt his hand clutching her heart, her very life, in its palm. Her day was spent distant and distracted, ignoring her mother and her friends for the most part. She just passed through the day like a ghost, mind too focused on Fenris and what had happened last night.

Aeowynn refused to go home until it was late in the evening and Aveline dragged her back to the Hawke estate. Her body felt heavy and exhausted despite having not done much of anything today. She didn't want to sleep, afraid to have that nightmare all over again. Still, she needed to rest her frayed nerves… perhaps she would feel better in the morning. Just as she was starting to undress, she heard a whisper of movement behind her and she was suddenly forced back down on the bed, face down. Familiar, cold claws were back at her throat, a firm grip reminding her to stay in place.

"Fenris…"

"You will not be rid of me so easily this time."


End file.
